Articles
OPTIMIZING GREENHOUSE OPERATION FOR BEST AERIAL ENVIRONMENT
Article number
106_23
Pages
169 – 178
Language
Abstract
The control of the aerial environment in greenhouses is often limited to air temperature.
While this is the most critical parameter, other parameters, such as CO2 concentration, relative humidity and light are also important, and an ideal system should have these parameters also under control.
Attempts have been made to control simultaneously air temperature and humidity, as well as to vary the temperature set-points as a function of solar radiation (e.g.
Bokhorst et al., 1972; Hand & Soffe, 1971). These improvements have reached the application stage, as is evident from lists of commercially available equipment (e.g.
Gieling & van Meurs, 1977), but are not yet standard worldwide.
The introduction of digital micro-devices into commercial greenhouses enables further sophistication of the control algorithms, but it seems that not enough is known about the economically justified level of automation, mainly because not enough is known of plant response to variable environmental conditions.
While this is the most critical parameter, other parameters, such as CO2 concentration, relative humidity and light are also important, and an ideal system should have these parameters also under control.
Attempts have been made to control simultaneously air temperature and humidity, as well as to vary the temperature set-points as a function of solar radiation (e.g.
Bokhorst et al., 1972; Hand & Soffe, 1971). These improvements have reached the application stage, as is evident from lists of commercially available equipment (e.g.
Gieling & van Meurs, 1977), but are not yet standard worldwide.
The introduction of digital micro-devices into commercial greenhouses enables further sophistication of the control algorithms, but it seems that not enough is known about the economically justified level of automation, mainly because not enough is known of plant response to variable environmental conditions.
The purpose of this study is to synthesize present knowledge into a useful method of optimizing greenhouse operation.
Testing the sensitivity of the greenhouse system to various parameters should help determine the potential gain from further sophistication of control algorithms.
To date only a few cases have been treated, and these will be used to illustrate the general approach.
Naturally, the present approach has been influenced by previous studies, e.g. those of Warren Wilson (1972), Bowman (1972) and Bot et al. (1978).
Authors
I. Seginer
Keywords
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